Monday, July 18, 2005

I caught this on CSPAN last week. To watch it, click on the first link to this CSPAN search House Armed Services Cmte. Hearing on Possible Merger of China Oil with Unocal. If you weren't concerned about China and it's behavior before then this hearing in front of Congress should start to wake you up. First of all, the hearing is a response to Chinese efforts to buy Unocal, a US based oil company. One red flag is that Unocal is an oil company that supplies Taiwan through Indonesian oil fields.

Admiral Woolsey, a former CIA director, says we are concerned because this is the largest Dictatorship, the largest Totalitarian government attempting to acquire strategic resources in support of it's increased militarization and expanding military capabilities. Woolsey also notes that dictatorships often seek a foreign enemy to help hold themselves up and have used Taiwan for this. Woolsey also notes that while we can hope China will turn toward democracy but that view, a view of a peaceful China is extremely naive.

Frank Gaffney - Center for Security Policy President & CEO notes that this purchase is part of a larger and omnious strategy by China. He says that China is a fascist state and the US needs to focus on strategies of deterrence. That the US is on a collision course with China. A conflict that may be unavoidable. And that the US needs to maintain access to strategic resources to include 'rare earth' minerals that are used in many advanced military technologies. The one mine where these rare earths is owned by Unocal in Indiana specifically needs to be kept out of the hands of China.

The warning bells are ringing and they ringing loudly. It's an issue that needs to be brought to the front and dealt with. The video of the House Armed Services Comittee is there at CSPAN free to view.